Many leaders have a tendency to keep their foot on the gas, full throttle, all the time. Their dedication to success, meeting tight deadlines, and achieving lofty goals, makes them perceive they don’t have time to slow down.
Leaders tend to forget that unless they slow down for curves and dangerous areas, they could have a wreck, find themselves running in circles, putting out fires, or creating unnecessary stress for themselves and others.. They would also miss valuable opportunities for reflecting, taking in the surroundings, and learning.
The moment a leader stops learning, he can not only come to a full stop, but also find him/herself going backwards. As I have said before, leaders need to “take time to understand and grow.”
By focusing on how quickly we can make decisions, implement change, or implement a plan, we could be missing vital factors for success.
The other day I was reading a post by Seth Godin which he titled: “Don’t just do something, stand there.” He challenges leaders to take one day a week to slow down, stop working, (answering phones and emails, working at home, and similar things), and see what happens. I have done that all my life and can attest that a weekly day of rest brings perspective to life, and remind us of the importance of taking time to reflect.
Instead of fostering a culture of “faster is better,” try encouraging:
- listening
- open dialogue
- discussion of options
- different points of view
- review of processes
- evaluation
Next time you are in a rush, remember: slow IS fast. . .
How do you know when it is time to take the foot off the gas? How do you carve time to slow down?